Morning Dew
by RedGem270
Summary: An unlikely and I mean UNLIKELY pair have opened up to each other and while one wants to include everyone in the knowledge of their relationship, the other is deathly afraid of people finding out, so when a 3rd party uncovers their secret. . . COMPLETE
1. The Unlikely Pair

**Author's Note**: Hey, Falisha! Guess what? Just Guess. . . I'm answering your challenge! Yay! Lol! Please, everyone. . .enjoy! And let me know if I should continue.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own South Park. And this great idea for a fic, sadly, is not mine either. I'm just answering Brat Child2's challenge. She's my pal, lol! Don't be freaked out! Wow. . .this is the longest and dumbest disclaimer I have ever written. Lol, so. . .on with the story!

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The moon's sweet, soft glow came pouring through the partially open curtains as Kenny turned away from the sleeping body beside him.

Butters. His partner. . .his long time lover.

He stirred for a moment and then fell calm again. Kenny gingerly removed himself form the bed, not wanting to wake him. He reached for his pants and pulled them up as he watched Butters sleep. It still amazed him. Of all the people in South Park, he had ended up with Butters. Butters for Christ sake! But they were one in the same. They understood each other and somewhere a long the line, he couldn't remember where exactly, they had become close, but in a different way then Kyle and Stan. They were nothing more than best friends, like brothers. Though, sometimes to Kenny and Butters the two seemed to have reached another level in their relationship, but they were best friends nothing more. As for Kenny and Butters, their relationship was definitely _unique_. It had always been different. There was once a point in his life when Kenny saw Butters as just another classmate, but no more. He was special and he couldn't believe he had never seen it before.

Butters stirred again. "K-Kenny," he called in his sleep.

"I'm here," he whispered as he continued to watch him. He had managed to zip his pants when Butters spoke again.

"Don't leave me this time," he said softly.

Kenny stopped. He carefully made his way toward the bed again. He loomed over the sleeping blonde, wondering if he really _was_ asleep. "Don't. . .don't leave me," came his voice again and then he rolled over on his side. Kenny sighed deeply as he smiled. _Butters, Butters, Butters_. . .

Reaching for his shirt, Kenny wondered what the guys would say to him if they were to ever find out he and Butters were. . .together. . .and well. . . "doing the dirty." If it had been Kyle and Stan or even Kyle and Cartman or Stan and Cartman, whatever, he would've asked how exactly "it" was done with two guys. But there was no need to ask. He knew. He smiled. At least he could say he wasn't a virgin anymore. He'd have to tease Cartman about that. He laughed softly just thinking about it.

He pulled his shirt over his head and quickly put on his shoes. He grabbed his jacket and walked toward the window. He stopped and then turned. Looking back at Butters, his heart swelled and he wondered just how Butters had managed to capture his heart. With one last smile he made his way out of the house from Butters's window.

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"Shut up, fat boy!" Kyle shouted. "You did not see Wendy's pussy!"

"Hey!" Cartman argued. "I'm big boned. I told you and yes, I did. She showed me."

"Shut the hell up!" Kyle continued. "You better not say a word to Stan. He'll-"

"He'll what, Jew boy?" Cartman asked as a wide grin formed on his face. Kyle returned his smile with a devilish one of his own. Cartman was confused for a moment until he felt a light tapping on his shoulder. He turned only to meet Stan's fist and for a moment everything went black. He could hear Kyle laughing at him as he and Stan walked away. "Stupid Jew," he breathed as he sat himself up. "What the hell are you looking at, dip shit?!" he called as the small freshmen in front of him stared. They ran when they heard the thundering sound of his voice. He stood and wiped himself off of any dust that might've clung to him while he was down. He murmured under his breath about Kyle being a stupid jew until a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Wh-where'd you go last night?"

Cartman turned to see Butters standing beside Kenny at his locker. Kenny didn't seem to really pay much attention to him and he seemed irritated. _Last night? _Cartman thought. "Hmm." He decided to sneak a better view and so he hide himself behind his math textbook as he proceeded to move forward. He caught sight of a few guys from the math club. _Perfect_, he thought as he slowly made his way toward the math crowed and pretended to belong as he watched his two "friends."

"I m-missed you this morning?" Butters said.

Kenny sighed heavily as he continued to rummage through his locker.

"A-aren't you going to look at me?" Butters asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

Kenny continued to ignore him.

The corner of Cartman's mouth rose slightly as he watched. _Interesting_.

"Kenny?"

"What, Butters?!" came the muffled sound that was Kenny's voice as he pulled himself away from the interest that was his locker. "_What_?!"

Butters was taken aback by his sudden anger and then he looked down and apologized. "I-I was only trying to-"

Kenny sighed. "I'm sorry," came the muffled sound of his voice again. "But I told you, not in school. People are around."

Butters looked at him as he went back to searching through his locker for a book he could not find. Butters again looked away, disappointed at the fact that Kenny was ashamed of _them_. It was hard for him, he was ready to come out of the closet, but Kenny. . .he was still afraid of what other people would say. He had no trouble joking about it before, but ever since it had really happened, he was always so uptight about it. Whenever Butters tried to openly talk about their relationship when they weren't alone, he'd freak and Butters didn't quite know how to handle it. He had thought about letting everyone know about them without Kenny's consent, but he could never do something like that to him. He cared too much about him to hurt him in any way, shape, or form.

Kenny finally pulled out a textbook which he had been "looking" for for the past _15 minutes_. His heart thudded in his chest. He was happy his hood covered his face. It hide his flushed face from the crowed. He didn't like treating Butters like shit. God, knew the guy had enough of that at home, but he just couldn't talk openly about their relationship. Not now, anyway. Not when everyone was around. Anyone could hear. Anyone. He sighed again for what seemed like the thousandth time that day and turned to Butters.

"I'm sorry," he said softly with a tender gaze. With that Butters smiled he seemed to melt and he nodded joyously as he looked at him. God, he hoped no one he knew was around. "I'll walk you to class, come on." He smiled, though he knew Butters couldn't see it. But he also knew that Butters _knew_ he was smiling. He turned toward the direction of Butters's next class and as he walked, Butters walked beside him, a beam of happiness. He felt Butters's hand brush against his and he smiled again, allowing himself to momentarily hold his hand as they walked side-by-side down the hall.

Cartman watched the couple as they walked down the hall. The math club slowly walked away as the late bell rang. He closed his textbook and grinned from ear to ear, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he watched them.

"This. . . is going to be good."

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**(Another) Author's Note**: Well, tell me what you think. Did I do a good job? Did I keep them in character? Was it bad? Tell me anything and everything. I need to know! Falisha! Did I do justice to your challenge or what?! LoL! Woo! I am so hyped up today. I'm actually really, REALLY excited about this fic. Writing it I was laughing so much and I don't even know why. My brother thought I was on crack, but he's always thinking that. It's just me! This was such a great idea too! Thank you, Falisha! So that is why I _need _to know your thoughts. . .if that made any sense.

Jess


	2. Would You Like Some Butters With That?

**Author's Note:** Hey, I'm sorry this took me a while. School took up a lot of my time and I was unsure about continuing, but I was surprised when I received 7 reviews! To be honest, I was only expecting 1. 3 at the most. And so, when I decided to continue I didn't know how to continue from my last chapter and I wanted to keep them all in character, you know, which I think is the hardest thing to do when writing a fic, so I wasn't sure what to do. And then when I wrote it out, I was constantly rewriting and reediting and finally I was like, "Screw it." So here it is! Hope you like it. Oh, and **Angela Jewell**, I don't really think I'm gonna get too serious with this fic because to be honest, it makes me laugh too, so I don't blame you. When I wrote the first chapter all I did was laugh, but anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it. AND I'm _especially_ happy that you enjoyed it, **Falisha**, since it was your challenge. And so, without further ado, here is chapter 2.

-

"So, Kenny," Stan began. "Tell us about this secret of your's."

Kenny stopped. "Secret?" came his muffled reply. His heart began to race. They knew? _How did they find-Butters! I can't believe he_-

"We know about the blonde," Kyle interrupted.

Kenny dropped his fork as his heart continued to beat faster and faster. Here it came. All the ridicule and humiliation he had been trying to shield himself from was coming. He lowered his head in shame and tried to embrace it.

"Dude?" Stan asked as he looked at Kenny. Stan turned to Kyle questioningly, but Kyle shrugged and they turned to look at Kenny again.

"Uh, don't you remember about the blonde?" Kyle asked. "You told us about her yourself."

Kenny cocked his head a look of confusion surfacing on his face as he looked up at them.

"Yeah," Stan confirmed. "You mentioned a hot blonde yesterday. You said you were meeting up with her."

_Girl? _Kenny thought. _What girl? _He paused for a moment to think and then it came to him. _Butters! _He remembered now. On the previous day during lunch he had accidently revealed that he had slept with someone when the topic had somehow brought it self up as it usually always did one way or another. Stan, Kyle, and Cartman had been only momentarily surprised when he had told them. They repeatedly asked who, but all Kenny mentioned was that the person had been a blonde. Kenny had never mentioned the person's sex, but they had automatically assumed it had been a girl when in fact it had been a _boy_.

"So what's her name?" Stan asked.

Kenny smiled to himself thinking of the previous night. His grin become wider. "Butters-" He cut himself off.

"Butters?" Kyle and Stan asked in unison. Their faces were contorted with disgust.

"Uh. . ." Kenny thought for only a second and added, "Butter's what we used!"

"Dude!" they shouted.

"For a second I thought you meant Butters," Kyle replied.

Kenny laughed to calm his nerves, but he sighed inwardly. _They don't know a thing_, he said to himself.

"I can understand ice cream," Stan said.

"Or whip cream," Kyle contributed.

"Or even chocolate syrup," Stan added. "But butter?"

Kenny shrugged. "It tasted good to me." He smiled from ear to ear. "Pretty damn good."

Stan and Kyle expressed their disgust again, but laughed soon after as Kenny grinned. In no time at all Butters appeared at the table and Kenny's calm exterior began to crack.

"W-well hello, fellas," he greeted.

"Hey, Butters," Stan replied.

"Hey," came Kyle's voice.

"Hi," Kenny said as he hid his face in his hood. His cheeks were burning with embarrassment. He hoped nothing would _accidently_ come up in the conversation that would reveal his relationship with Butters. He just wasn't ready for that. He wasn't sure if he'd _ever _be ready for it. But Butters smiled sweetly at him. Kenny caught the smile, but returned only a fake, uncertain one before looking away. Butters frowned at the dismissal, but he didn't let it get him down. Not completely, anyway.

He made his way next to Kenny and sat himself down. Kyle and Stan began to talk and soon they had all been engrossed in a conversation, enjoying one another's company making jokes and poking fun at one another. Everything was just fine until Cartman rolled on by. There was a gleam in his eyes that showed he was up to something. There was no denying it. Cartman was plotting something. Something. . .unpleasant.

"Hey, guys," he said as he sat down. The smile on his face was a mischievous one that expressed something so malevolent that it made Kenny's spin tingle with nervousness and fear. For a second he prayed that Cartman would say something stupid to Kyle about anything that would make him angry. Then he'd be saved from whatever it was that Cartman had against him. What made it worse was Butters. Kenny knew he meant no harm by his actions, Butters rarely ever did, but feeling his hand on his beneath the table had both startled him and angered him at the same time. He hadn't expected it and he had been outraged to think he would try something like that in the environment they were in. Everyone was around and Cartman-_Cartman_-was sitting at the table!

"Butters!" he shouted. The blonde boy was taken aback by the outburst and his friends were left confused and speechless.

"What happened?" Stan asked.

Kenny didn't reply instead he stormed away and out of the cafeteria. He made his way into the hall and continued to the boys' bathroom. Once inside he rested against the wall. It seemed to cool him off from the heat of his anger. Shortly after, Kenny heard the bathroom door move. He looked turned to look, expecting to see Stan and half expecting to see Cartman, but there was no one.

"Uh, Kenny?" came Butters's soft, uncertain voice. Kenny turned away from the door in frustration as he walked to the window. "Are you alright in there?"

Kenny shook his head. Butters just didn't get it sometimes.

The door opened and Butters pocked his head in. He was concerned, Kenny knew he was and he meant well, but he didn't want to be disturbed. He just wanted to be alone. Just for a while and besides, if anyone were to see them together. . .alone in the bathroom. . .

Butters stepped inside with caution. "Kenny?"

"Why'd you come here?"

"I-I was-"

"Do you know that if Cartman or the other guys were to catch us in here together they'd get suspicious?"

Butters didn't reply. He tried, but he couldn't.

"Cartman already knows something," Kenny continued. "Did you see that gleam in his eye! He knows something. Maybe even too much."

Butters approached cautiously as Kenny continued to go on. "What if Cartman knows? What then!" He was becoming frantic now. He didn't like this burden he had. The burden of keeping a secret that you knew would leave you alone if it were exposed. He knew it wasn't like him, but he couldn't help himself. He placed his hands on his hood, clearly expressing his frustration and frantic state.

"I-is it a bad thing that Cartman knows?" Butters asked.

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked in return as he turned to the blonde boy, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Had Butters said something to him? "You mean he does know!"

Butter quickly shook his head in response. "N-no." Butters paused only for a moment. "But if he knew, would it be bad?"

"What do you mean, 'would it be bad'!" Kenny said. "Of course it would! Do you know what hell is like?"

Butter shook his head.

"Well, I do," Kenny replied. "And it'll be just like that if Cartman knew. Our lives would crash and burn."

Butters let his head fall gently allowing the sadness to consume him. Kenny shook his head. He didn't like treating him this way, but it was just that Butters was so. . .so. . .not with it sometimes.

"But at least we'd have each other, right?" he said as he lifted his head to look at Kenny.

Kenny didn't say anything as he leaned against the wall, looking at his shoes. Butters took one step forward and lifted Kenny's chin and smiled whole-heartedly. "We'd still have each other, right?" he repeated. Kenny only sighed, but Butters's smile never fell. He leaned forward, tilting his head and Kenny closed his eyes naturally giving Butters the permission to kiss him. _Why not?_ he said to himself, completely giving in. He knew that this day would be one of those days where everything went wrong no matter how hard you tried to fix it. If it were going to be that kind of day, and he knew it would be, then why not have the ability to say at the end of the day that he had at least a moment, _one special _moment of the day where he was actually at peace and comfort? Why not let _this_ be_ tha_t moment?

The door began to slowly open and Kenny's eyes flashed open, so much for his one special moment. He pushed Butters away just in time. In just seconds after, Cartman opened the door. A sly grin plastered on his face. "I was worried about you, Kenny," he said, his voice seemed to give away fake concern and something else. "I thought I could help cheer you up, but I guess Butters is doing a fine job all his own."

"Kenny?" Came Stan's voice from behind him. "You okay, man?"

Kenny looked straight at Cartman as if he hadn't heard Stan call him and maybe he hadn't, but at that moment Kenny was certain that Cartman knew something. Something he'd use against him to make his life a living hell. But if he had been to hell and back, literally speaking, then was it possible to turn this around?

Kenny wasn't sure, but somehow he'd figure out just how to keep Cartman from telling everyone. Somehow. Someway. He'd stop him or die trying.

-

I love you guys. Lol.

Jess


	3. Public Affection

**Author's Note:** Hey! This took me a while, I know. Sorry. But I hope you like it. What Kenny saw in the beginning actually happened to a friend of mine. And he had acted in the same way Kenny did, except he's not going through what Kenny is in this fic. But when he told me what he saw I decided it would be funny to somehow put it in my story and he thought it was a good idea too. Lol! It makes me laugh whenever I remember it. He was very enthusiastic about it. Lol! Oh, and by the way, no, Kenny will not die. I love him_ too_ much to actually kill him off. He's had enough of that, don't you agree? Anyway, enjoy!

_-_

Sitting in class, Kenny felt a little unsettled what with Cartman sitting beside him, watching him with that stupid gleam in his eye and Butters on the other side watching too with some lovesick look. What made it all worse was that Butters was feeling a little _too _"friendly" today. He had been trying all day to touch him or show some kind of affection and in _public_ no less! Even now Butters was trying to touch him! The blonde boy turned to Kenny, pretending he needed to stretch. He stretched his arms out, his hands reaching for Kenny's coat. Cartman watching the two leaned forward to catch a glimpse, a devilish smirk plastered on his fat face. That was when Kenny shot up out of his seat. Everyone turned to him as his chair screeched back.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" came his quick, muffled question.

"Yes, Kenneth," the teacher replied, her back turned him. She was still writing on the board, but now she turned to him. "But just remember. This is English. You must say, '_May_ I, please, go to the bathroom' not '_Can_ I-'"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he said quickly as he rushed toward the door, snatching the hall pass before he left.

The teacher was about to protest his reply to her, but he was long gone and so she turned to her class and continued with her lesson.

Kenny, meanwhile, wondered the halls thinking about his current situation. He wondered what it was that Cartman had in store for him. _Nothing good_, he thought and sighed. He dreaded what was to come. Somehow he knew-

Something was going on. He could hear voices. Curiosity over powered him and he stealthily moved forward clinging to the lockers. When he reached the last one in the row, he peeked over the side and caught two girls. He tilted his head completely engrossed by their "experiment."

"Not here," one said breathlessly. "Someone will catch us."

"Just a little feel, Jenny," the other girl urged.

Kenny watched as he drooled over the girls. He rubbed his eyes making sure he wasn't dreaming. The first girl caught him staring and pushed away.

"What is it?" the other asked.

The first girl said nothing as she lowered her eyes covering herself up and soon her friend noticed what she was looking at. Kenny closed his mouth and stepped forward. "Oh, don't stop on my account," he said hurriedly.

The first girl looked down and ran away in tears. "Hey, come on!" Kenny shouted after her. "It was nice!" The girl began to run faster. "I like lesbians!" Kenny called as he watched her.

The second girl scoffed at him and ran after her friend. "Asshole," she said under her breath as she passed him.

"You too?" Kenny asked. "Come on!"

He watched them for a moment. "Man!" he whined as he continued to walk down the hall. The more he thought about it, the more those girls seemed to be like him and Butters. Except in a way there seemed to be some personality switch between the two girls. The shy one, the first one had been like Kenny, fearing the leak of their relationship and yet that girl seemed to have more of a Butters personality. The second girl was in a way like Butters in that she couldn't care any less about people finding out, otherwise she wouldn't have risked people finding out by doing what she was doing in the hall. But her personality seemed to be more like Kenny's. It was strange. Was that suppose to be a sign? He shrugged. He was just looking to into it. He placed his hands in his pockets feeling suddenly cold. He still wore his gloves, but they didn't seem to be doing much. He shivered. Why was it so cold? An icy chill ran down his spine and he flinched.

"Hmm."

It had sounded like a pur. The kind of satisfied pur that suggested mischief and deceit.

Kenny turned to see Cartman standing only two feet away from him. His lopsided smirk sent another chill down Kenny's spine.

"Kenny," he said.

"What?"

"Ms. Higgins sent me to look for you," Cartman replied. "She had a feeling you'd be out in the halls."

Kenny looked at him.

"Or would it have been better if Butters had come instead?" Cartman waited for a reply, but when he did not get one, he continued. "He did volunteer to come himself, but I told him it was okay. I wanted to talk to you, anyway."

Kenny continued looking at him, hiding his nervousness as Cartman approached him. He smirked again as he placed an arm around him, but Cartman reeked of trouble. It was all over him. Kenny felt the need to vomit.

Cartman led him away, further down the hall and Kenny felt his heart race. "You've been acting weird lately, Kenny, and I'm worried." His voice was dripping with falsehood and everything opposite of truthful. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" Cartman waited again for a reply, but got nothing. "Or. . ." he began as he stopped and turned back. ". . .do we need to see Butters? He seemed to calm you down the first time? He has a magical _touch_ I bet."

Kenny pulled away. "I don't know what you're talking about," Kenny finally replied as he walked away from him and back to class. Kenny let out a slow easy breath as he closed his eyes hoping Cartman hadn't noticed how nervous he was.

"Mhm," was all Cartman said as he followed Kenny down the hall.

He hated this! He hated feeling like he was losing his mind through panic and fear all because of Eric _Freaking_ Cartman. The fat ass was taking his good old time. If he had something planned, then why not do it and get it over and done with! Kenny couldn't stand this much longer. He didn't know what was worse, knowing that people would eventually find out about him and Butters in what ever humiliating way Cartman thought fit or agonizing with wait over _when_ Cartman would actually reveal the truth!

_-_

_Butters_

_Meet me behind the school by the basketball court 15 minutes into 6th period. It's important._

_Kenny_

He wondered what it was that Kenny wanted. _I-I'm just gonna have to wait and see_, he said to himself as he placed the note in his pocket. Before he closed his locker he looked at his health textbook where he had found the note. He touched it lightly, thinking that0 Kenny had touched it himself. _He must've put it there right a-after he got out of English_ _while I wasn't looking_._ O-or when he went out to the bathroom_, he guessed knowing that everyday Kenny passed his locker before and after 5th period. They'd walk together sometimes if Kenny felt it didn't give them away. Some days he was more paranoid than others. Today he was more paranoid then he'd normally be and so they didn't walk to class together for English. He smiled none-the-less and closed his locker, happy to know that Kenny wanted to see him.

_-_

"Here, Clyde," Cartman said, handing the boy beside him a twenty dollar bill.

Clyde took the money and put it in his pocket. "Just be careful with it," he warned. "I can't afford Mr. Clive finding it broken. I don't know what I'm gonna to tell him if he finds it fu-"

"Alright!" Cartman shouted. "I'll get it back in one piece. Geez, you're as much of a pussy as Kyle is. Just get the sand out of your vagina."

Clyde shook his head. "You still say that?"

"Yeah, so!"

Clyde rolled his eyes.

"What!"

"You said that back in fourth grade. _Elementary_ School."

"So."

"We're juniors now. In _High _School."

Cartman stared at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Forget it," Clyde said, giving up. "Just get it back to me by the end of the period." With that he went back into the studio room.

Cartman looked down at the camera in his hand and smiled. He had caught a glimpse of Kenny when he thought no one was watching as he slipped a note in Butters's locker and then walked away. _A _love _letter_, he thought with a grin.

He made his way down the hall where he saw Butters go. He'd watch Butters closely. He knew that eventually he'd led him to Kenny and then when they showed their affection for one another, Cartman would be ready with the camera and the truth would be revealed for all to see.

-

Did you like it? Yeah. You know, now I know exactly where I'm going with this. No more writer's block for me!

Jess


	4. It Was The Sex, Wasn't It?

**Author's Note:** Hello! I'm very glad that you all liked the last chapter and I appreciate everyone of your reviews. Now here's another!

* * *

Butters waited outside by the basketball court where Kenny had asked in the note. He hummed happily to himself, his hands clasped together with his fingers laced as he drummed them on his hands. _Uh, any time now_, he said to himself. Maybe it was still too early. Kenny did say_ fifteen _minutes into the period not_ five. _He leaned against the building as he waited, picturing Kenny's sweet face. He smiled. He liked Kenny best without the hood. Though he had no complaint with the hood on.

Kenny, meanwhile, sat in class, watching the clock above. This was one of the two most peaceful classes of the day for him. No Cartman or Stan or Kyle. No poor jokes or Jew cracks and no Butters. No stress. It was just him and few others he remembered from his elementary school days. Like Pip and Craig and various other memorable faces scattered about with few new faces.

He looked up at the clock again. Two minutes had passed. He let out a slow, easy breath and raised his hand.

"Yes, Kenny?" Mr. Stevens asked.

"Can I go to the bathroom?"

Mr. Stevens pointed at the hall pass on the board and Kenny stood. Walking to the board to collect the pass, he had a feeling Butters would already be waiting. He smiled a little to himself. No. He _knew_ Butters would already be waiting. He walked out into the hall and made his way to the door closest to the basketball court on the other side of the school building. He made it with no complication.

When he opened the door and made his way outside, he looked about and turned left and walked to the court where he saw Butters leaning against the wall.

Noticing Kenny, Butters pulled himself away from the wall, his eyes bright with joy.

"Y-you needed to see m-me, Kenny?" Butters asked hopefully as Kenny stopped in front of him. He wanted to hug him, but thought better of it. _Kenny might not like it._

"Yeah," Kenny replied, looking down. He looked up at the blonde boy again. "Butters, look, I-"

"Ca-can you take off you hood?"

"What?"

"Your hood," Butter answered. "Can you take it off?"

"My hood?" Kenny asked, confusion ringing in his muffled voice. "Why?"

"B-because," Butters replied, "I like to see your face."

Kenny looked at him for a minute and then scanned the area around him like he was worried about someone seeing his face, but he removed his hood when his eyes met Butters's. Butters smiled as Kenny revealed his face. Butters reached out to touch his cheek, but Kenny pulled away before Butters had the chance.

"Look, Butters," Kenny began, "I like you-"

"A-and I like you, Kenny," Butters parroted with a smile.

Kenny smiled back weakly. "Right," he replied. He looked down again for a moment before he continued. "We've been through a lot. . .but. . ." It was hard to continue. It just hurt so much, but what other way was there to keep him safe from Cartman?

"B-but?" Butters asked in confusion and concern, a twinge of hurt was audible in his quivery voice. He had no idea where this conversation was leading, but it scared him.

"But," Kenny began again, "I think we. . ." He stopped to take a deep breath. "I think that we should. . .stop. . .seeing each other."

"Oh." It was a short and sad reply which made Kenny's heart ache.

There was silence for a moment. Neither one of them could talk. Even the birds seemed to have stopped singing.

"W-was it the sex?" Butters asked as he twiddled his fingers, looking down.

The question had caught Kenny _completely_ off guard. He opened his mouth in surprise and then blushed when Butters looked up at him, his head still bowed.

"Uh," Kenny replied, looking down now as he rubbed the back of his neck. "N-bo, it wasn't that. The sex. . .the sex was great," he said with a smile and the blush still on his face. He looked at Butters's smiling face and then he quickly said, " It was good. . .fine. . .I-it was okay."

Butters smile faded a little. _Shit! _Kenny thought. The great Kenny McCormick, sex-doer (with women and men alike) and educator (for all those who cared to listen. . .or not) was flustered by the mention of sex! There was _definitely_ something wrong, but that was just one of the many things Butters had the power to do. To _him_ anyway.

"It's just that Cartman is up to something and it involves us," Kenny explained.

"Oh," Butters said again in that same sad tone. "Well, uh, I. . .uh, guess I'll be seeing you around."

Butters made his way around Kenny and to the door where he had come through. Kenny looked down, feeling and fearing his mistake. Was it really right to let him go just like that? Was it right to let him go _at all_?

"Uh, Kenny?" Butters called.

Kenny turned, expecting and _wanting_ Butters to ask him to take him back.

"Can I a-at least have a hug good bye?"

Kenny smiled softly. "Sure." He would've settled for a kiss, but it was better than nothing at all.

Approaching him, Kenny felt the bitter sweetness of the moment. He opened his arms and pulled Butters close. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of him.

When they pulled away, Kenny's lips brushed against Butters's cheek and almost, _almost_ connected with his lips, but he had refrained from it.

"Bye, Butters," Kenny whispered and then walked away, leaving Butters standing alone.

* * *

From a near-by bush, Cartman had his camera rolling. _Sweeeta!_ It was great to see the results he wanted. All of this footage he'd use to his advantage, manipulate it to make it appear the way he wanted it to and Clyde, being one of Mr. Clive's most trusted students, would help him. He shivered with delight at the very thought of further continuing this. . ._game_ with Kenny and Butters. And what a game it was! He smiled from ear to ear.

Not only would Clyde help him, but whether they knew it or not, Token and Wendy, the anchors for the school's news crew would also help him.

His grin grew wider still as he stared at the image of Butters on the digital camera.

* * *

"Mark Cotswolds," Mr. Fink, the art teacher called. He was still doing attendance.

"Here."

Stan and Kyle sat at the last table, one sitting across from the other as they whispered to each other.

"Rebecca Cotswolds."

"Where do you think Cartman is?" Kyle asked.

"Here!"

"Don't know," Stan replied. "But I have a bad feeling about it."

"Ralph Daniels."

"You too?" Kyle asked. "I mean, sure, I'm glad he's not here ragging on me, but. . ."

"I know," Stan replied knowingly.

"Present!"

"And you know," Stan began, "Kenny has been acting weird."

"Yeah," Kyle agreed.

"Devon Donald. "

"Cartman might have something to do with it," Kyle added.

"Here!"

Stan nodded as Mr. Fink called out another name from the list. Stan was worried, to be totally honest. When Cartman had something planned or wanted to prove something, he went far. Maybe _too_ far._ The Passion of the Christ _incident came to mind.

Kyle looked at his friend. Stan looked as if he were thinking too hard about it, worrying too much. "Maybe you're thinking about it too much," he said, a twinge of anger in his voice.

Stan smiled as he watched him scribbling across a blank sheet of paper. "Jealous?" he asked.

Kyle looked up at him again. "No," he said simply.

"Good," Stan replied. "Because you're the only one for me, baby." He smiled devilishly.

Kyle grinned in return and in seconds they were laughing hysterically.

Mr. Fink turned to look at them and the class turned their attention to them. "Because you find the attendance so amusing, Mr. Marsh and Mr. Broflovski, why don't you two finish it up for me?"

Stan and Kyle looked at each other as they stopped laughing. They slowly stood and as they approached the desk in the front, Mr. Fink handed them the list and as Stan called out each name, Kyle marked each of them down as cutting, except of course for himself and Stan and Wendy. He tried to hide his smile and Stan cleared his throat, holding back a laugh.

When they were done, Kyle put the list on the desk and then went to sit back down with Stan at the back table.

"Take out your projects you've been working on!" Mr. Fink called. Taking the book he had on his desk, he opened it and began to read.

There was movement in the room and sound as people got up to get their things. They were all working on self portraits. Few students had gone to the next part.

"Hey," Stan said.

"What?" Kyle asked as he sketched his own face.

"I just realized something."

Kyle put his pencil down.

"Butters has been hanging around us a lot lately," Stan said. "I don't mind or anything. He's not as annoying as he use to be, but he has been around for a while now."

Kyle seemed to be thinking. "Yeah."

"Why?"

Kyle shrugged, but he too wondered why. Something told him Cartman knew, but what was it that he knew that rest of them didn't?

* * *

HEE!

Jess


	5. Just Do It

**Author's Note:** Hey! Sorry it took so long, but it's here now! And I hope this will make you feel better. . .I already started writing the next chapter and it should be up some time next week!

_

* * *

_

"Hey, Stan," Wendy greeted as she came up from behind him. "Hey, Kyle."

"Hi," Kyle said as he continued sketching, looking up only to greet her.

"Stan?" Wendy whispered, "We need to talk."

Stan looked at her and then turned in his chair. Kyle pretended not to pay attention as his pencil moved across the paper like he was still sketching. His head stayed bent down toward the paper, but his eyes looked up to catch a glimpse of Wendy and Stan. "We need to talk" weren't exactly good words anyone would like to hear put together, especially if it was coming from your girlfriend. . .or boyfriend, whatever struck your fancy.

"No, not now. _After _class," she said. Stan nodded and she smiled weakly at him. A smile of guilt. She kissed his cheek lightly and walked away. In her voice and in her face it was obvious that she was expressing some regret and guilt.

"Dude," Kyle began cautiously, "uh. . .things will be just fine between you two."

Stan turned in his seat toward Kyle. He stared down at his sketch. Was she really breaking up with him again?

"Do you think she knows?" Kyle asked, watching Stan carefully.

Stan looked at him. He shook his head when he realized what Kyle was talking about. "I didn't mention it to her," he said.

Kyle shrugged as Stan looked out the window. "Maybe it's something else then." He looked at Stan and waited for a response, but Stan didn't reply.

For some odd reason Stan didn't feel saddened by this. It was possible that Wendy would break up with him after class, but for a reason he did not know, this thought didn't seem to faze him. It didn't have any affect on him. He simply wouldn't really mind either way. He turned to Kyle and smiled genuinely and Kyle shook his head with a small grin.

"You don't seem very upset about it," Kyle commented.

Stan shrugged, the smile still on his face as he turned to look out the window again.

"Don't tell me it's someone else?"

"Maybe," was all Stan would say as he continued looking out the window.

"Hm."

There was a moment of silence between them and then Kyle said, "So who's this mystery girl then?" Stan didn't reply, but Kyle had been under the impression that Stan didn't want to share. "Fuck, dude," Kyle said as he looked up. There was no anger in his voice as he said it, just a hint of exasperation. "It's like everyone has a mystery person all their own. First, Kenny and then I over heard Butters talking to Pip during gym class this morning about a 'special someone' who he wouldn't fucking mention and now _you_. And now that I think about it-" He looked away from Stan and his expression was thoughtful as if he were remembering something. "-Bebe mentioned having someone too." His expression stayed thoughtful as he tried to remember if there was anyone else. He noticed Stan still looking out the window and his face went from thoughtful to confused.

"Stan," he called. "Are you listening to me?"

Stan pointed out the window. "I think I found Cartman," he said. Kyle turned and there he was. Cartman. . .squatted behind a bush, a camera in his hands. Kyle went to the window and Stan followed. "Is he drooling?"

"Ew!" A girl said. She had joined them at the window when she caught them looking outside. Soon the rest of the class moved to the window for a look.

Stan smiled to himself. "Maybe he found a Chocolate Eclair laying on the ground when he was recording who knows what," Stan commented. He and Kyle laughed.

"Or a twinky," Kyle said to which Stan laughed. "Or, you know what? No. Not a twinky."

"No twinky?" Stan asked.

"Nope," Kyle replied. "Knowing the fat ass that is Cartman, he probably _really_ found some cheesy poofs or snacky cakes or something."

Stan laughed and Kyle soon joined him.

"Well," the teacher said. "Cartman has just won himself after school detention and a parent-teacher conference."

Stan and Kyle turned to each other, holding back a laugh. "So you're gonna have a talk with Mrs. Cartman?" Stan asked.

"Yes, Stan," Mr. Fink said. "That's what a parent-teacher conference is."

"There won't be any 'talking'," Kyle whispered. "Cartman's mom is a _huge _slut."

"I'm sure _he_ knows that," Stan replied nodding to the teacher.

"He just wants someone to-"

Kyle's sentence was cut short. "I'd stop right there, Mr. Broflovski, you don't want to join Cartman for detention."

"But if I do get detention, no parent-teacher conference, right?" Kyle asked, he suddenly looked very nervous. He could hear his mother in his head and could just picture the round, plump woman. _WH-WH_-**WHAT**!

"No," Mr. Fink replied quickly with a look of disgust. "I've met your mother once before and she wasn't a very pleasant woman. She's not as generous and gentle as Mrs. Cartman is."

Stan bursted with laughter. "_Dude_! He slept with your mother!" a lone student exclaimed as he pointed a finger at Kyle. There were scattered reaction throughout the class as Kyle's jaw dropped. It was obvious that he had not been expecting that. Few people replied with "EW!" (preferably Bebe and Wendy) while some others (mainly boys) were whooping and cheering as the others gasped with disgust or surprise or possibly both and the rest just laughed (Stan and various others).

"Out, Mr. Merrick!" Mr. Fink shouted as he stood, pointing to the door. "**NOW!**"

Stan placed an arm around Kyle's shoulder and led him back to their table, holding back his laughter. "Come on, Kyle, just forget about that."

_

* * *

_

Butters walked silently back to class. He had acted as if it hadn't bothered him, but in reality it had. He wondered what it was he had done. Maybe he had been too clingy. Kenny had told him how much he didn't like it when they were in public and maybe that was how Cartman had gotten so suspicious and caused Kenny discomfort when they were together. But he didn't understand. _Th-that's my problem! _He said to himself. _I-I never understand a-anything!_ He stopped. Was that Kenny's real reason for leaving him? Could it really have been because Butters simply understood very little?

"Butters?"

"Huh?" He looked up. "Uh, h-hi, Cartman."

"What's the matter?" Cartman asked, his hands behind his back as he leaned forward only a few inches. He sounded concerned, but there was something in his eyes that didn't seem right. Butters, though, ignored it or better yet, didn't notice it.

"Oh, n-nothing."

"You look a little down."

Butters shook his head. There was silence and then. . . "Cartman?" he asked.

"Yes," Cartman replied as he looked at the blonde boy.

"What do you do when, uh, a-a person you really like doesn't like you anymore?"

"Well," Cartman began, a knowing smirk on his face . "If I were to put myself in your shoes, I'd try to get him-I mean-"

"Gee, Cartman," Butters interrupted before Cartman could correct his mistake. "I didn't know you liked guys."

"I don't!" He shouted. "I'm no _fag_! I'm putting myself in _your_ shoes!"

"But I didn't-"

"Shut up," Cartman replied, "and let me finish. Jesus Christ, Butters. You like guys don't you? I mean, you are talking about one, right?"

"Whoa!" Butters said, wide-eyed. "How'd you know?"

Cartman smiled and this time his smile reached his ears. "I just do."

"_Wow_," Butters responded in a whisper, completely amazed and mesmerized.

"Listen," Cartman began again, "What you have to do is, flaunt your love for him."

"Oh, we-well, he won't like that. He's very-"

"Just do as I say, goddamnit!"

Butters quickly closed his mouth and he stared at Cartman, waiting for his permission to speak. Butters watched him as he squeezed between his eyes, the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. That was when he noticed the digital camera in his other hand. He wondered what Cartman was doing with it, but thought nothing of it. _Pr-probably a project_, he thought. But he didn't know just how big a project the camera was being used for. He wanted to ask Cartman about it, but kept his mouth shut. _Cartman's a-angry_, he thought. _He won't appreciate me asking him questions about his camera_.

"Just. . ._Listen_," Cartman finally said.

Butters nodded.

Cartman took a deep breath. "Okay." He let a slow breath out. "To get this guy back, you're going to have to show him just how much you love him. Tell him how you feel. When you're alone with him or not. No, better yet, when you two are in public. He'll be so happy that you said it aloud because that way everyone will know about it and it'll show them that you're not afraid of your love and you're proud of it!"

"And that'll make him happy?"

Cartman nodded. "No fear."

"No fear?"

"No fear."

"No fear. . ."

"Just do it," Cartman urged. "He'll love you even more for it. Assuming, of course, he loves you now."

Butters looked at him, his eyes growing hopeful and happy as his mouth parted slightly. "Really?"

Cartman grinned as he nodded. The glint in his eye would've given him away to anyone else, but Butters was oblivious to it.

"Thanks, Cartman," he said before walking down the hall to his class.

"Pleasure to help."

He never saw it and if he had, it would've saved him all the trouble that was yet to come.

_

* * *

_

HEE! You like? I like! Lol! The only thing I don't like about this is that Kenny isn't in this chapter. He was originally, but I removed his part (Please, forgive me, Kenny) and put it in the next chapter to make more room for the Cartman and Butters thing. And you know what? It had originally been Stan who met up with Butters in the hall because _he_ was the one who the teacher had sent out of the room, but then this came to me and I was like, "I have to fix it!" Oh, and sorry about the cliffhanger there at the end. Heehee! Later!

Jess


	6. Where To Hide

**Author's Note:**Just enjoy it, my friends.

* * *

It was so _sweet_!_ Too _sweet to be fucking _true_! 

In his hand he held the evidence, _the_ evidence, revealing both Kenny's _real_ (_no _joke) gay relationship with _Butters_ of all people! And on top of that, Butters would be further humiliating both himself and Kenny right before and after Cartman told all.

He wanted to laugh, to jump in triumph, to shout, and scream! Oh, it was _too_ good!

Carefully, he made his way down the hall after Butters left. He'd need to go into the studio room or tech room whatever. He would need to make this presentable and he knew just how to do it.

As he made his way down the hall, he rounded the corner and soon found himself right in front of Clyde's class.

"Oh, Clyyyde!"

* * *

"Excuse me, sir." 

The class turned toward the door.

"I need to speak with a student of yours."

"Of course."

"Kenny?"

Kenny stood. He walked to his guidance counselor. He knew what it was about.

"This will take no more than 20 minutes," she said. "I apologize again, but he'll be back in time to get the rest of the notes."

"It's no problem at all."

The woman, Ms. Newcomb, smiled before walking out with Kenny beside her.

They were silent as they walked down the hall, but soon it was she who broke the silence.

"I spoke to the school psychologist," she began.

_Here we go_, Kenny thought as he rolled his eyes.

He met with the school's psychologist on Tuesdays and Thursdays every other week because they knew of his "misfortunes" and wanted to help him prevent "psychological damage." This, they had decided _after_ Kenny had an argument with Cartman that got just _a liiittle _too out of hand. For them (the school), anyway. And _this_, they realized was Kenny's "cry for help." He was acting out for attention and by god, the boy would get it!

_Please_. The school's psychologist just didn't have anything better to do that day. All he ever did was lie around like a lump waiting for something to happen. He would've settled for any excuse to send _anyone_ to his office, so he wouldn't have to spend so much time cooped up in his office with absolutely _nothing_ to do, except die of boredom.

"He tells me that you didn't make it to the session today."

Kenny didn't reply.

"Why not?"

"Mmff nmfffm mmm," he replied. This was what _she_ heard. She didn't know him long enough to get the gist of what he was really saying. What he really said was, "It's no big deal." It wasn't all that hard to understand if she really listened like a freaking guidance counselor was suppose to do, anyway.

She sighed. "Please, remove the hood, Mr. McCormick."

He let out an exasperated breath as he lifted his hands to his hood, but he paused before removing it remembering Butters's words. _I like to see your face_.

"Now," Ms. Newcomb demanded.

He rolled his eyes again and removed the hood as quickly and as swiftly as he could.

"Now, tell me what you said."

"I said," Kenny began, " 'It's no big deal'."

"Is that, right?"

"That's right."

"Kenny, Kenny, Kenny. . ." she repeated. "What are we going to do with you?"

_Do whatever_, he thought._ Just get me the _hell_ out of here!_

"Kenny!"

He froze. Dead where he stood. He knew that voice. He turned around slowly only to see Butters running toward him, his arms opened wide and a smile on his face. _Why?_ In seconds Butters's arms were encircled around Kenny's.

"Kenny!" Butters exclaimed again. "I-I'm so glad to see you a-again." Butters pulled away to look at Kenny. "I need to tell you something," he said. He turned and noticed the woman standing next to Kenny. "Oh, uh, h-hello."

"Hi," Ms. Newcomb greeted. "Should I maybe come back another time?"

"Please," Kenny pleaded.

"O-oh, no," Butters replied. "Please, s-stay. This is important a-and I think it'll be a good idea for you to stay to hear it too."

Kenny feared the worst. He _knew_ today would be bad. He just knew it.

"Kenny," Butters began. He lifted his chin and looked up at Kenny, his eyes were filled with hopeful sadness and joy. He looked about ready to spill his heart out-

Kenny stopped. His breath caught and he couldn't breathe. He knew what Butters wanted to do and Kenny could hear the sound of his heart burst through the shielded safety of his ribs.

Every word along with every action that came from Butters next was like slow motion. "I. . .loooovvvve yyyooouuu."And then came the inevitable hug that followed.

* * *

A smile curled his lips as he repeated himself. "I love you." He pulled away just enough to see Kenny's face. He was stunned and no doubt happy. His smile widened. _Cartman was right_, he thought happily. 

"Y-y-you." Now it was Kenny with the speech impediment, which made Butters giggle a little. _H-he's at a loss for words_, he thought. Kenny left it at that and before anyone could really notice, he was gone.

He had left so fast that Butters was wondering just when he had left and his guidance counselor was left jaw dropped and just plain _shocked_.

"Well, I'll be," Butters said simply as he scratched his head in confusion.

* * *

When the bell rang, Stan was too engrossed in a conversation with Kyle to really hear, but he automatically stood and followed everyone out almost as if he did hear it. In a way he did, but in others he didn't. And he was too into the conversation to hear Wendy calling his name behind him until Kyle pointed it out to him. 

"Oh, sorry," Stan replied a small blush on his cheeks. "I didn't hear you."

"Obviously," Bebe added under her breath. She turned to Wendy. "I'll, uh, see you later."

"We needed to talk, right?" Stan asked as he stepped aside, so the other students could pass.

"I'll see you around, Stan," Kyle called as he walked up the stairs.

"Yeah," Stan replied before turning to Wendy again.

She looked down, clutching her books to her chest. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now."

_Here it comes,_ Stan thought. She _was_ breaking up with him. No surprise there. But it honestly didn't bother him.

"Stan, I-"

"Dude!" came the very clear, very loud voice of Kenny.

Stan turned, surprised to see Kenny's face. He looked at him questioningly, but before he could ask, Kenny pulled him away.

"I need your help," Kenny said frantically, pulling Stan's arm.

"Stan!" Wendy called.

"Uh, sorry, Wendy," Stan replied. "I'll call you!"

She huffed and walked away. But this didn't seem to bother Stan either. Was he just emotionally dead today? _No_, he thought. He couldn't have been. Not when he was expressing so much when he was with Kyle and everyone else.

"What is it, Kenny?"

Kenny put his hood back on as he searched the halls. Few kids were staring at him some of whom had never seen his face before and were shocked to actually see him without his hood. He looked at Stan again. "You need to hide me!"

The late bell rang as Stan looked at Kenny giving him that what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look. Kenny searched the halls just beyond Stan's shoulder again as he pulled on the strings for his hood. And then Stan nodded with realization, but as quickly as he realized what Kenny really meant his face contorted in disgust. "No, Kenny!" he shouted.

"What?" Kenny asked, frantic. "Why not? You have to help me!"

"Because I am _not_ going to be your play thing for the next hour. Not _ever_!" Stan replied as he stepped away too concerned about his safety to turn around. When Kenny was frustrated, sexually speaking, he'd do pretty much anything to _anyone_.

Kenny stared at him for a long time and then. . .he laughed.

"What?" Stan asked.

Kenny calmed down long enough to speak. "I needed that," he said. "Thanks. I knew I could count on you."

Stan was confused. He scratched his head.

"I wasn't talking about that stuff," Kenny answered his silent question. "I _really _need you to hide me. For safety purposes. Not sexual ones."

Stan continued to stare. "What happened?"

"I. . ." Kenny looked down. Stan lowered his head to try and catch the look in his friend's eyes to see just what he was feelings. You could always tell what a person was feeling by looking into their eyes. Their eyes always expressed everything about them. He thought of Kyle's eyes just then and wasn't exactly sure why. "

I can't tell you why," Kenny said. "It's a long story and I just. . .can't."

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Kenny didn't reply and so Stan didn't argue. He placed an arm over Kenny's shoulders and guided him up the stairs. "Okay," Stan began, "where to hide you? Hmm."

There was no point in urging Kenny to tell him what was going on if he didn't want to talk about it. What did matter was that he was in trouble and he needed help, so Stan helped him. He just hoped things weren't too bad.

* * *


	7. In Do Time

**Author's Note:** Thanks to those who read and, especially, to those who reviewed. I love you guys!

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

"And he dumped you?"

The shy, blonde boy looked down. His eyes were sad. "He said it had something to do with us."

Ms. Newcomb looked at the blonde boy sitting across from her as she blinked repeatedly. _Of course it had something to do with the two of you_, she thought.

"Kenny said that Cartman was up to something and it involved us?"

"Cartman?" Ms. Newcomb asked. "Eric Cartman?"

Butters nodded his head as he took one of the candies in the small jar she had on her desk.

"So he's protecting you?"

Butters looked down into his lap as he played with the candy wrapper he had just unwrapped. He shrugged and then slowly he nodded. "I-I guess he was," he said.

Ms. Newcomb nodded. Kenny McCormick was among one of the last kids–no, scratch that- he was the _very_ last kid in this high school she'd expect to have same sex tendencies or whatever. She didn't even know what to think of it! He just seemed to be so driven toward the _opposite _sex whenever she had seen him in the halls. But it was obvious that this boy in her office had cared much for him and apparently still did. And if what he was saying was true, then Mr. McCormick cared for him just as much for he had gone out of his way to protect him from. . .Her thoughts stopped.

"Did you say Eric Cartman?"

Butters looked at her again and nodded. "B-but Cartman was nice enough to give me advice about Kenny, s-so I think that maybe K-Kenny was. . ."

"Lying?" Ms. Newcomb asked.

Butters nodded slowly and sadly.

"So the Cartman thing was just an excuse?"

Butters shrugged.

"Why would he make up something like that?"

Butters shrugged again.

_Maybe he was afraid_, she thought. _He's young and knowing that he's "different"--really different--than other people could scare him_. She frowned a little as Butters continued to play with the candy wrapper in his hands. She wondered what the little guy was thinking.

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

"I don't know where to hide you," Stan said as he searched the halls. "There aren't any good hiding places here."

"I don't care where," Kenny responded. "I just can't stay in the halls."

"You know," Stan began as he turned to his panicked friend. "Everyone is in class right now. Except for us and give or take a few other students who're skipping."

Kenny paused as he stared at Stan. He was right. There was no need to run now. He sighed to himself and leaned against the closest wall. He unzipped his coat and rewarded himself a much needed breather. It had gotten really hot and he needed some fresh air.

Stan was immediately greeted with the words, "Henry's Salty Nuts!" and a peanut waving a small sack of peanuts in one hand with a smile on it's face and a hat on it's head. Stan broke into a small frown, but it soon turned upside down as he read the rest of Kenny's shirt. "Taste my nuts!" rested above the peanuts head in a semi circle. "A tasty snack in my sack!" was also on the shirt.

"Nice shirt," Stan commented.

"Huh?" Kenny looked down at his smiling peanut and smiled back at Stan when he looked up. "Hell, yeah," he said. "It's my favorite one."

Stan's smile widened. "Isn't this-" he pointed to a phrase on his shirt. "-what you said to that freshmen two months ago when you flashed her?"

Kenny had come to school one day on a dare wearing nothing but a long trench coat. He had seen a cute freshman walk by and decided _why not_? He jumped in front of her, opening up his coat for all to see, and shouted exactly what he had on his shirt.

" 'Grab a sack today!' " Kenny quoted, holding open his coat the same way he had done so for the freshman who was now mentally scared according to the whole school. Kenny had been suspended from school for two weeks and the remaining week or so of that month he had spent in in-school suspension and then detention after school. Apparently, though, it still had not been enough punishment in the eyes of the principal who's daughter just happened to be the same freshman who Kenny had flashed. Ms. Newcomb, Kenny's guidance councilor, though had been the one who had convinced the principal that Kenny had had more than enough of his share of punishment. But now the principal kept his eye on him and unfortunately Stan and Kyle too. And Cartman as well, but no one really cared.

He and Stan both laughed as they reminisced of that day.

"I laughed for weeks after you did that," Stan replied, finally calming himself down.

Kenny slid down the wall and sat down beside the lockers as his laughing slowly came to an end. Stan sat beside him and then for a while neither one of them spoke. The silence fell heavy on them, but it hadn't been unbearable or even the slightest bit uncomfortable. It was just there.

"This'll probably sound different and out of character, but. . ."

Stan turned to him, waiting for what he had to say.

"Am I-"

"Fat?" Stan asked. "You know, Wendy asks me that all the time and I don't usually answer her and she gets pissed. But when I _do_ answer she _still_ gets pissed no matter what I tell her. And-"

"No!" Kenny replied. He laughed again. "Why the hell would ask such a stupid question?"

"Sorry," Stan said. "It's like a reflex, I guess. When a question begins with the words, 'Am I', I always think 'fat'." He shrugged.

"I was going to say different. Am I different?" Kenny asked.

Kenny looked genuine, but Stan thought that he was kidding around. It wasn't often that Kenny ever talked about something serious, anyway. "Yeah, you are!" Stan replied. But Kenny's sad face made him rephrase his last statement. "Uh, yeah, but in a good way," he added quickly.

"In a good way?" Kenny asked. "There's a _good_ way_ and_ a _bad_ way to be different?"

Stan stared at him. He didn't know whether or laugh and slap him on the shoulder for playing a good joke or to tell him to just cut the crap. But Kenny's sincere and curious face made Stan rethink his actions. Though, now he didn't know if he should be scared or not. "Uh, well. . ." He was at a loss for words. He scratched his head and he tried to grasp this whole thing. "I. . .I guess so. Well. . .yeah. You could be. . .different in a bad way by being part of the crowd, you know. Going with a group that acts just the opposite of you and becoming someone you're not. And you could be different in a good way by being _unlike_ the crowd and being someone that you_ are_. By not hiding anything about yourself like you would in a certain crowd of people because of fear or whatever. Does that make sense?"

Kenny only stared at his friend, unsure of what to say and unsure if he believed any of it, but he had made a mental note of it all. "Yeah," he said. "Makes sense."

They sat in silence together again, though this time neither one wanted to break the peace that lingered between them.

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Cartman sat in the tech room making what he knew would be the ultimate end to Kenny McCormick and then after Kenny was completely humiliated he could move on back to making Kyle's life a living hell. This opportunity, though, he could not pass up. Kyle would just have to wait.

"So what is it you're working on, Eric," Mr. Clive, the technology teacher asked from behind him.

Cartman quickly covered up his "project" and turned to the teacher with a smile. "It's a surprise," he said.

Mr. Clive looked at him suspiciously, but Cartman grinned that devilish grin of his, trying to make it appear as if he were innocent. The glint in his eye was visible and though the man caught it, he could not guess just how bad this "project" was. "Can I see this 'surprise'?" he asked as he began to move forward. "Maybe I could help you or give you some suggestion so it-"

"No!" Cartman exclaimed as he stood.

Mr. Clive stopped. He looked at Cartman.

"I could do it myself," Cartman replied.

"Okay," Mr. Clive said as he took a step back. "But call me if you need some help."

Cartman sat back down in his chair. "I won't be needing your help," he said confidently. "I could do this on my own, but in do time, it will be revealed." He looked at the teacher with that glint in his eye and that grin plastered on his face. "In do time."

The technology teacher hadn't known this particular student for a very long time, but he could sense something very wrong as Cartman sat there in that chair looking at him the way that he was. There was just something deceitful about that boy.

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Kyle sat in class, watching the clock. He wondered where Stan was. He glanced at the seat across from him. He hadn't come to class and apparently, neither had Kenny. Kyle's eyes moved to the seat beside him to Kenny's empty seat. He sighed heavily as he leaned back in his chair. Was Stan skipping without him? And was Kenny with him? He scowled at both empty seats before looking away. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Stan and Kyle always skipped together. No matter what class and yeah, most of the time Kenny was with them too, but Kyle was never left out.

He looked up and watched as the teacher wrote some crap on the board. He yawned as he stretched out his arms. It was only 15 minutes into the period and already he was getting sleepy. He buried his head in the crook of his elbow and hoped that Stan would come soon or then he'd die of boredom. And if not Stan, then Kenny. He needed someone to talk to and he didn't know just how much more of Bebe's story he could take. She kept going on about her just normal get together with a "friend" last night that had ended up with both of them "experimenting." This mysterious person, she would not name. It kept people in suspense, so she told him. It pissed him off a little because it had reminded him that he had no "mysterious someone". Or did he?

"Come on, Stan," he whispered. "Hurry up."

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

I leave you there and I will update again, hopefully, either this Saturday or next Monday, so be on the look out!

Jess


	8. Stand Alone

**Author's Note:** Hey! It's a day late, but only because I had problems logging in yesterday. Sorry. Oh, and I'm sorry to say that this fic is slowly coming to an end. I know, it's sad. But, hey, it's not over yet _and_ this chapter is one of the best ones, I think anyway. I don't know why, but I'm really proud of this one. I absolutely love Butters in this. You'll see what I mean Oh, and one more thing. I know you guys have been waiting for Cartman to do his thing and he will soon. I promise. In do time. . .in do time. Lol! I just quoted my own story! HA!

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"Dude!" Kyle called.

Stan turned around. He stopped and waited for Kyle to catch up.

"What happened?" Kyle asked when he finally made it to Stan's side. "Where the fuck were you?" The anger was clear in his voice and possibly even his jealousy, though Stan didn't seem to hear that. "I fucking had to sit through hell by myself. And why did you and Kenny skip without me? I would've gone along. You know that."

"It wasn't planned," Stan offered as he continued to walk.

Kyle followed him, curious to find out the truth. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Stan began. "Kenny needed a place to hide and I thought it was pointless to hide while everyone was in class. No one would see him, anyway."

Kyle opened his mouth to speak, but Stan continued. "So we waited until there was only 15 minutes left in the period to find a place to hide. And that's why-"

"Wait," Kyle interrupted, finding his voice. He seemed to be trying to think as he stared at his friend in disbelief. "Kenny. . .needed a place. . .to hide. . .?"

Stan nodded, not seeming to realize what that implied to his friend, but he replied with, "It's not what you think."

Kyle flooded with relief and Stan smiled as he noticed Kyle's tension ease.

"So. . .what happened?" Kyle asked when he regained his composure.

Stan sighed as he stopped to lean against a row of lockers. "I don't know exactly."

"He didn't tell you?"

Stan shook his head. "He won't. But it has to be bad if he's running away like that. He's really spooked, dude."

"And so you decided to help him run away?" Kyle asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and studied Stan's face.

"You would too!" Stan accused. "You should've seen his face, Kyle."

"He's always wearing his hood!" Kyle protested.

Stan shook his head. "He had it off. And he looked. . .he was just. . ."

"Are you _that_ worried about him?"

"Yeah," Stan answered softly. "I mean, why shouldn't I be? Have you ever seen Kenny anything but happy? Or angry? Or-"

"Horny," Kyle added with a nod.

A tiny smile broke across Stan's face. "Right," he said. "Horny."

Kyle nodded again.

"He's never really expressed a wide variety of emotions and the look in his eyes when he was talking to me was one I don't remember seeing before." He paused. "Ever."

Kyle looked at Stan and smiled softly to himself. Sure, like everyone else Stan thought of himself, but not always. He thought of others too. He worried about them, with them, and even _for_ them. He was kind and he had a big heart. He had the biggest heart in South Park and that was one of the reasons why Kyle liked him so much. He was unlike anyone else living in this dump they all called a home.

Placing an arm around him, Kyle led him down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Uh, science is-" Stan pointed over his shoulder, but Kyle cut him off.

"Kenny shouldn't be alone," he said. "And I know you don't want him to leave him alone, so we should be there for him. And when this period is over we'll all head to Computer App. together. After all, we are his friends, right?"

Stan smiled and nodded. "Right."

"Let's go then," Kyle replied. "Where to, Stan?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He'd be safe with everyone in the hall way. Seventh period had just let out and Kenny had only been in the abandoned janitor's closet for less than 10 minutes, but already he couldn't stand the smell of bleach mixed with a horrid stench of decay and. . .was that moldy cheese on the heater?

He made a gagging sound as he fumbled with the door knob. He opened it and almost tripped when he freed himself of that horrible thing these people called a closet. _They hired janitor's to clean, not soil everything! _Kenny thought. Maybe under other circumstances he'd laugh and make fun of the smell and the janitors, but he wasn't under any ordinary circumstances.

He quickly closed the door behind him and just as quickly turned his back to the door. A small freshman girl jumped when she saw him and moved away, her eyes growing a little uneasy at the sight of him. He smiled nervously and slowly took one step away from the door. The girl took one step away from him and Kenny stopped. His smile faded a little from disappointment, but it returned again as pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Two of the janitors are rubbing their old balls together in there." He had said the first thing that came to mind and he watched as the girl's face contorted in both disgust and fear. Not a moment later, she had been running down the hall trying to escape the scary guy who was Kenny and the "rubbing old balls" that were the janitors.

He watched her for a moment and then he sighed and relief flooded him. The hall was still crowding with students, but they seemed to be thinning out. A growing apprehension overcame him again as he realized that Butters was usually in this same hall after 7th period. He looked about and when he didn't see Butters' face, relief flooded him again.

He walked down the hall feeling every bit of confidence.

"Maybe the day won't end on a bad note like I thought it would," he whispered.

But maybe he had spoken too soon.

In seconds he felt a pair of very familiar arms wrap around his waist and a familiar sent soon filled his nose and he froze.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Butters bit his bottom lip as he closed his eyes, loving the feel of his body pressed against Kenny's. He had always loved the warmth that radiated from Kenny's body. It comforted him and made him feel real and so alive like he was actually a_ somebody, _rather than a nobody.

"H-hey, Kenny," he greeted as he tightened his grip. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Bu-Butters?"

"W-well, yeah," Butters answered. "Who else would I be?" He didn't loosen his hold around Kenny and he didn't seem to understand why his back suddenly felt so tense. But he blushed getting the wrong impression.

Kenny had always told him it was all right to do what he had wanted to do when they were together, to never be shy around him. So it was because of this that Butters felt safe moving his hands further down to touch Kenny's pants. "Kenny, are you-?"

"No!" Kenny shouted as he tore Butters' hands away from his pants and violently pulled away from him.

People began to stop. Many of them had wide open mouths and were wide-eyed as they stared at them.

Butters' smile faded, but only for a moment. He approached Kenny, but remained still when Kenny stepped back. Butters smiled again, thinking that Kenny was playing another one of his games. He took another step forward and stopped as Kenny stepped back. He took _another_ step forward and stopped _again_ when Kenny stepped away. Butters bit his lip again as he blushed. He rubbed his knuckles together and shyly asked, "Wh-what game is this?"

He innocently looked up to find Kenny somewhere between nervous and "excited." Kenny licked his lips as he looked at him. Butters smiled from ear to ear. That familiar fiery hunger appeared in Kenny's eyes, but it was masked by fear. He pulled at his hood and tried to regain his composure.

"I don't know wh-what you're talking about," came his muffled reply.

Butters' smile faded for the second time, not quite understanding, but soon enough the smile was back on his face. The bell rang, but no one made a move to go to their classes. Instead they remained scattered in the halls, watching on. Butters smiled to himself. _Th-they'll all know how much I love him now_, he thought to himself. _A-and then Kenny will love me more! Just like Eric said_. "I-is this part of the game too?" he asked as he continued to rub his knuckles together.

Kenny swallowed hard and shook his head. "Wh-what do you want?"

"To be with you," Butters answered simply.

There were gasps all around.

"He's_ gay_!" a girl whispered just a little too loud.

"Is this a lover's quarrel?" came another voice.

There were scattered responses and Kenny seemed to grow even more nervous with every new whisper, though Butters didn't think that it was because of the rumors that seemed to be forming around them now.

Kenny shook his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. Butters took this as a good sign and his que to continue. "I-I love you, Kenny," he said. "And I want to be with you."

"Kenny?"

Butters turned in the direction of the voice and found Stan, staring in Kenny's direction. "W-well, hi, Stan," Butters greeted. He waved.

Stan turned to Butters, but didn't reply. Instead he looked at Kenny again. In seconds Kyle cut through the crowd and joined Stan. He looked from Kenny to Butters and to Kenny again.

"What's going on?" Stan asked.

"Nothin'," Butters said. "I just told Kenny my feelings."

"Your feelings?" Kyle asked.

"Mmhm," Butters said with a nod. "I love him."

Kyle's jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide. Stan only stared.

"He. . .he's crazy!" Kenny finally exclaimed, slicing through the silence. "He's been acting weird around me for days and now I know why!"

Stan looked from Kenny to Butters and back at Kenny again as Kyle remained wide-eyed with an open mouth.

Butters frowned only slightly in confusion. "But, Kenny-"

"No!" Kenny shouted. "I don't like you that way, so just stop trying to. . .do whatever it is that you're doing!"

With that he walked away. Stan stared at Butters and then turned away. Kyle followed close behind as he looked over his shoulder, still not quite believing what had just happened. _G-gee_, Butters thought sadly. _That wasn't suppose to happen_. He let his head fall as the sting of tears became apparent.

The crowd became smaller and smaller with every passing second and soon Butters was the only one left standing in the hall.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Don't you just want to hug him? I know I do.

Jess


	9. Butter on Butters

**Author's Note:** Sorry. I think I'm a bit late with the update. I just lost track of time, but it's here now!

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"Sweet."

Cartman's grin widened at the sight before him. Butters was standing alone, looking down the hall where Kenny had run off. A look of confusion and hurt was spread like butter all over his face._ Ha!_ He laughed to himself as he thought about it. _Butter on Butters_.

He made his way to him and tapped the blonde boy on his shoulder.

Butters turned around. He slowly looked up and him and for a second-one complete second- Cartman was blown away by the look in Butters' eyes. It was both sad and breathtakingly beautiful all at once. He shook his head. _Oh my. . .Jesus_.

"It didn't work," Butters said sadly as he looked down, rubbing his knuckles together. "K-Kenny ran away. He h-h-ha. . ." The word seemed to be too much for him.

"Hates you?" Cartman finished after gathering his composure.

Butters nodded.

"Just wait until ninth period," Cartman replied, the smirk growing on his face. This time, though, it felt a bit awkward for him, but it was still there.

Butters' eyes lit up. "A-are you gonna help me?"

"Sure, sure," Cartman replied. "By ninth period he won't be able to deny it and he'll be crawling back to you for comfort."

"Comfort?"

"Yeah, he'll need reassurance from the one he loves."

"What for? Will he be upset?"

"No, of course not!" Cartman's smile became wide again. "He'll just finally realize his mistake and he'll need you to tell him it was alright."

"Oh," Butter said. He then smiled as he wrapped his arms around Cartman's round body. "Oh, thank you, Eric!"

Cartman cringed and then pulled away. "Yeah, yeah. Just get your gay hands off me!"

"Oh, sorry," Butters apologized as he stepped away. "B-but thanks again." He smiled one last time before he turned away and walked down the hall, whistling a happy tune to himself.

"Heh," Cartman said to himself. "He's so gay."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Kenny."

It was like he didn't hear him.

"Kenny!" Stan called again. He pulled at his shoulder and turned Kenny to face him. "What was that all about?"

"Butters is gay!" Kyle interrupted. "He's gay and he li-likes Kenny!"

"Is that who you've been running from?" Stan asked as he looked at him curiously. Kenny's eyes fell away from sight as he lowered his head.

"Dude! Butters is _gay_!" Kyle informed still not believing it.

"Yeah, Kyle, we now," Stan replied as he looked over his shoulder to his friend.

It had surprised Stan too, but it hadn't hit him nearly as hard as it did Kyle. Stan had been thinking of Kenny. Worrying about him and trying to stay calm and he thought he had done an okay job of that.

Stan took another deep breath as he turned to Kenny again. And again he asked, "Is that who you've been running from?"

Kenny nodded slowly.

But there had to have been more. What more could've upset him? It wasn't just that Butters was gay. It went deeper than that, but what was it!

"What else?"

Kenny looked up. His eyes looked at Stan suspiciously and Stan caught the hurt that he was trying to suppress.

"There has to be more than that," Stan said.

Kenny pulled away from him, his anger reflecting in his eyes. "There is no more than that, but the usual shit," came his muffled reply.

Stan sighed again and shrugged. "Okay," he said simply as he turned. What more could he do? If Kenny didn't want to tell him what was really bothering him, he couldn't force him to tell him. "Should we go to class or. . ."

"It doesn't matter," Kenny replied as he followed him down the hall. Kyle took his time behind them both.

"Butters is _gay_," he said again.

Kenny rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he replied. "Butters is gay. Can we go now?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Sally."

"Yeah," the girl replied as she turned. "What is it, Cartman?"

"I've got your story right here." Cartman waved a video tape in the air, a huge smirk on his face.

Sally sighed as she rolled his eyes. She could only imagine what he had this week, but his stories always spiced up the school's news show at the end of the day, so why not?

"What story ya got?" Token asked as he stepped toward them.

"It's a surprise," Cartman replied.

"Is it any good?" Token asked.

"Oh, it's good." Cartman looked at him. "It's good."

"Okay," Token said. "After Jimmy over there gives us his 'Joke of the Day' segment, we'll put your tape to play for the school."

Cartman looked over Token's shoulder to Jimmy. He was practicing in a mirror.

"Did you hear the joke about the. . ." He attempted to get the word out, but it was obvious that he was having trouble. "Did you hear the joke about the b-buhh. .hhh. . ."

Cartman looked away and shook his head. "What about before Jimmy's segment?" he suggested. He wanted to show off his tape as soon as possible. "Why not before Pip's weather thing?"

Token and Sally looked at one another. "No," Sally said. "Craig is on with sports before Pip."

"Then put be in between," Cartman replied angrily. "Better yet," he began. "Put me in before everyone else, so you can just get it out of the way."

"We made room for you after Jimmy," Token said. "If you don't-"

"No one cares about Jimmy's worthless jokes or Craig's gay sports! Not even Pip's fucking weather report!"

There was silence in the entire room and it was the supervisor, Mr. Clive, who broke the silence when he walked up to him and took him by the shoulder. "If you can't talk nicely to your peers and come up with a good compromise while doing so, then get out," the man said as he dragged Cartman out the door.

"Hey!" Cartman shouted, trying to pull himself away from the man's grip.

Sally and Token watched as the man dragged Cartman out of the room and then as soon as they were out of sight, people began working and preparing around them and both Token and Sally walked away, discussing who'd report what and who'd introduce who for what.

"Listen, Cartman," Mr. Clive began. "Everyone involved in the news is important no matter how small their role in it is. And they all work just as hard to run everything so the school can take out 15 minutes in the last period for kids to just relax. Never again bring down a student by saying the things you said in there!"

Cartman narrowed his eyes not even looking at the man.

"Now," Mr. Clive began again. "As punishment, I will not be allowing you to air the tape you worked on today or any other day."

Cartman looked up. "What!"

"That's right," Mr. Clive said. "And I hope this teaches you to be nicer to your classmates." With that the man walked back into the room without looking back once.

Cartman grunted. He looked down at his tape as the eighth period bell rang. Students began to pour out of their classes. Many of them were relieved. There was one more period left.

"Alicia Peterson, to the main office," came the secretary's voice above him. "Alicia Peterson."

He looked up and smiled to himself.

By the end of the day. . .everyone would know about Kenny and Butters. He'd make sure of it.

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Stan, Kyle, and Kenny entered their ninth period class. Butters sat alone at one of the computers, looking up at them as they walked in. He raised his hand to waved them over with a smile on his face. But he lowered his hand as he remembered Kenny's reaction and he lowered his head.

Kenny sighed and walked to the other side of the room.

Stan looked over at Butters.

Butters met his eyes and offered a small, awkward smile to which Stan attempted to return as he followed Kenny in the room.

Kyle walked behind Stan staring at Butters, his eyes wide. He smiled a little when Butters caught him looking and then Kyle turned away. He rushed to Stan's side and whispered something in his ear.

Stan shrugged.

Butters watched as they sat down, the three of them. He wondered what it was that Kyle said to Stan, but turned away toward his computer screen when the teacher came into the room seconds before the late bell rang.

She quickly went to the t.v. and turned it on. In seconds, Token and Sally's smiling faces lit up the screen.

"Good afternoon, fellow classmates," Sally greeted sweetly. "I'm Sally Turner."

"And I'm Token Williams."

"And we're coming to you live," Sally began.

"From the video tech room to give you," Token added.

"The school news," Sally finished.

Butters watched the screen. His elbow sat on the desk as he rested his chin in his open palm. His eyes strayed from the t.v. screen to Kenny and he sighed. He hoped whatever Cartman was doing would really help him out. He didn't think he'd be able to go on much further without Kenny.

"Today-"

"Attention, attention," came a familiar voice over the speaker.

"Cartman?" Stan and Kyle asked aloud as every head in the room turned to the speaker.

"What the-"

"Hey, what's going on?" Sally asked on the screen.

"I have some important news to _show_ you all."

Butters wondered if this was what would help him with Kenny. He scratched his head.

"Kenny?" Stan asked.

"You okay, dude?" Kyle asked.

Butters turned to them. Kenny's eyes were wide open. He was staring at the floor, horror reflecting in his eyes and in a quick, swift motion he pulled the strings from his hood as if it would shield him from whatever it was Cartman had to say.

"May I direct your attention to the screens in your rooms, please?" Cartman said over the loud speaker.

Seconds later the screen went black right after Token and Sally called to Mr. Clive.

"This, I'm sure, you'd all like to see." There was a pause and then Cartman spoke again. "And the show begins. . .now. . ."

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Please don't hate me for leaving it like that! But the last chapter will be up soon, so don't hate me!

Jess


	10. Morning Dew

**Author's Note:** The last chapter TT I know it's sad. I was originally going to post it up on Friday, but my computer wasn't working. It still isn't. I'm actually at the school library. But it's all good. Oh, and I'm thinking of writing another Kenny/Butters fic when I'm finished writing another South Park fic that I've been thinking of writing for a while. Lol. _That_ one will be a one-shot, but hopefully if I make another Kenny/Butters one, it'll be another chapter fic. But anyway, enjoy this! Oh, and one more thing, this is a bit longer than all the others chapters were. If I'm not mistaken this chapter is **twice** as long as the others, so double YAY!

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Seconds later the screen was lit up again and Butters could see himself on t.v.

_Hey_, he thought. _I'm on t.v._

His classmates turned to him.

"What the hell is this crap?" someone asked.

Kenny, panicked and horrified, stood up, knocking his chair over. Everyone quickly turned to him and watched as he turned the t.v. off.

"Wasn't that you on the screen just now?" Kyle asked.

"N. . .no!" Kenny shouted.

"I was just asking," Kyle said angrily.

"Have you ever wondered," Cartman began over head, "just why Kenny never had a girlfriend? I mean, everyone knows how much he 'loves' girls. We all remember the freshman."

There were a few cheers from the boys in the classroom. Even those across the hall were heard.

"In a way," Cartman went on. "Kenny is a legend. But has anyone actually _seen_ him with a girlfriend. Really?"

People grew quiet.

"Come to think of it. . ." someone said. "Kenny never mentions ever having a girlfriend."

"_This_, my friends, explains it all," Cartman said over the loud speaker.

The screen lit up again and Kenny turned to see Wendy near by.

On the screen, Kenny and Butters were standing in front of each other and he had taken off his hood.

"It is Kenny," someone volunteered. "And. . ."

"Butters," Stan finished.

Kenny quickly turned the t.v. off.

"Stop that," the teacher scolded.

"This is why Kenny never went out with any girls," came Cartman's voice.

Wendy turned it back on.

Kenny went to turn the screen off again, but Wendy was quicker and she blocked him. She continued to watch along with the rest of the class.

On the screen, Kenny was ready to walk away now, but Butters stopped him. He said something that no one could hear and Kenny agreed and slowly he hugged him. Everyone gasped. The hug had been an affectionate one. Butters smiling face could be seen.

And as they slowly pulled away, they shared a kiss or so it seemed that way.

"Kenny, my fellow classmates," Cartman said, "is gay."

"Oh my god!" a girl exclaimed.

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"That. . .that's. . ." Wendy began.

_Oh, god_, Kenny thought.

His head was pounding now and his heart was racing. He wanted to run, but he couldn't find the strength to move.

A hand rested on his shoulder and he turned. Stan was looking at him, concern in his eyes. "You okay?" he asked.

Kenny didn't reply. He looked over Stan's shoulder to where Butters sat. His mouth was wide open. He looked at Kenny and shook his head. "I-it wasn't me," he said softly. "It wasn't my fault." He held his hands in his lap as he lowered his head.

Kenny then looked at Stan again.

Kyle slowly stood up. "Dude," he said. "Your. . ."

Kenny didn't stick around to hear what Kyle wanted to say because he had found the strength to move and so he ran.

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Cartman grinned as he watched the screen. He leaned back into the principal's comfortable chair. _Oh, I wish I could see Kenny's face_, he thought. _That asshole_.

He looked at the screen and watched as the "kiss" played it's self over and over and over again. He was happy that one of the kids in the tech room was willing to help him haul some equipment into the principal's office and that another kid had been easily bought into being a distraction for the secretary and the principal while Cartman and the other kid carried in the stuff.

"Open this door, young man!" came the principal's voice from behind the door. The man's fists pounded on the wooden boundary between them. "Unlock this door right now!"

"Heh heh heh heh heh heh," Cartman replied in a sing-song voice. "Now you all know the truth about Kenny McCormick," Cartman shouted into the microphone that feed into the loud speakers. "And Kenny. . ." Cartman didn't even finish his sentence. A laugh erupted from his lips. "I hate you, Kenny," he said before there was a _click_.

He removed his fat ass from the chair and walked toward the door. The principal was still pounding on the door, demanding entrance.

He opened the door and stared into the face of a balled man with angry eyes. "You," the man said, "are in deep-"

Before the man could finish, Cartman pushed him, knocking him and his secretary down. That was when Cartman made a break for it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Kenny!" Stan shouted.

"Wait up!" Kyle called.

The entire class headed out into the hall way, close behind Stan and Kyle. Students began to pill out of their classes all over and soon their was a crowd in the hall.

"Everyone back in the classroom!" a few teachers ordered, but no one listened. They were all to busy looking for Kenny who had just suddenly disappeared.

_That was it?_ Stan said to himself. _That's what you were upset about?_ He shook his head. _You could've said something, dude. I wouldn't have judged you. I would've _expected _it of you_.

"Stan!" Kyle called. "He went this way!"

Stan ran toward Kyle and followed him down the hall. Cartman soon came into their line of view.

"**_Cartman!_**" Kyle shouted, a rage Stan had never heard from him erupted from his lips with the name. He had both heard and seen Kyle angry as hell, but this was beyond that and the look in his eyes was just _murder_. "**_You fucking _fat _ass son of a fucking_ bitch**"

"Hey!" Cartman shouted angrily.

"**_You fucking asshole!_**" Kyle shouted as he picked up speed. In seconds Cartman was on the floor in the fetal position, trying in vain to block Kyle's vicious attack.

"You fucking jew!" Cartman swore as Kyle continued his beating.

Stan heard one last cry from Cartman before he pulled Kyle away. Kyle wouldn't keep still no matter how many times Stan had demanded him to and who could really blame him? It had taken Stan every ounce of his strength not to beat Cartman _himself_, but s_omeone_ had to stay sane while Kenny was on the run.

Kyle swore and cursed as if it had been an entire different language.

"Ever heard of the leash laws, Stan?" Cartman asked angrily as he stood, brushing himself off as blood ran down from his nose. He wiped it away with his gloved hand and watched as Kyle struggled to get free from Stan's grasp. He smirked. "Tame your bitch, Stan."

"**Shut up,_ fat boy!_**" Kyle screamed.

"Or you'll what?" Cartman asked mockingly with a grin plastered on his face.

A growl freed itself from the depths of Kyle's throat.

"I can let him go, Cartman!" Stan warned, watching as something went off in Cartman's eyes. Had it been fear? It must have been fear because he took one step back. But as quickly as it had come, it went away and the angry look in his eyes was back.

"We gotta find Kenny, Kyle," Stan said as he pulled Kyle against him. Kyle continued to struggle to get away. "Kenny!" Stan shouted again. "We have to find him!"

Kyle seemed to relax and Stan allowed his grip to loosen. Kyle pulled away from him and that was when Cartman took another step back. "Don't touch me, you cocksucking jew," he warned.

Kyle glared at him, but to Stan's surprise, Kyle looked away and headed down the hall, but he hadn't gone far when Kenny appeared from around the corner. He looked as if he had been crying, but that was impossible.

_Kenny doesn't cry_, Stan said to himself. _Then again_. . .Kenny had done things and felt things today that he hadn't before. At least not around Stan.

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It didn't take long for the forming crowd to gather around Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and Cartman. People whispered amongst each other, commenting on Kenny and Butters' relationship and Cartman's reasons for doing what he did.

Butters tried looking over the crowd, to see Kenny and the others but he could not. He tried pushing his way through, but he the people wouldn't let him pass. Not even the teachers could penetrate through the still growing crowd.

Butters then decided he'd crawl to get to the other side.

He seemed to think it over before he got down on his knees.

"That w-wasn't so bad," he said when he made it to the other side. He stood and brushed himself off.

"Well, lookey here," Cartman said as he noticed Butters. "Hello, Butters."

"Y-you lied to me, Eric," Butters accused as soon as Cartman had spoken to him. "Y-you said you'd help me get Kenny back. Y-you said-"

"You went to him for_ help_?" Kyle asked as he turned to him.

Butters looked down, a blush growing on his cheeks as he twiddled his fingers. He nodded softly. "He gave me some advice," Butters confessed. "He was the one who said I should flaunt my love for Kenny because he'd be happy and want me back."

"And you _listened_ to him?" Stan asked.

"It sounded like a g-good idea at the time," Butters confided as he rubbed his knuckles together.

Cartman laughed. "Oh, Butters," he said. "You're so. . .you."

"Uh, is that a good thing?" Butters asked.

Cartman laughed again.

"I'm warning you, Cartman," Kyle said as he closed his eye. His hands formed fists at his sides.

"This doesn't involve you, Kyle," Cartman replied.

"But it does involves Kenny," Kyle said, opening his eyes again. "And that's enough for me, goddammit!"

Butters looked up to see Kenny staring at him. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he was in a world of pain. He felt betrayed, he was angry, he was hurt, and he was feeling it all because of Butters.

The blonde lowered his head again, feeling the sting of tears as he continued to rub his knuckles together. How could he have been so stupid? It should've been obvious to him that Cartman was up to no good, though, he still didn't quite understand exactly what Cartman had done, which made him feel more like an ass. What Butters did know was that it was bad because Kenny was upset and it had been his own fault.

Kyle and Cartman continued yelling at one another, throwing what ever insults they had at each other as if they were playing dodge ball.

"Eno. . .Enough!"

The talking amongst the crowd stopped and so had the yelling between both Kyle and Cartman. Every head in the hall turned to Kenny.

"Stop it already!" he shouted. When he was sure he had gotten everyone's attention he looked straight at Butters and gestured him over.

Butters looked about and then back at Kenny, a single finger against his chest. "M-me?" he asked.

"Yeah, you," Kenny answered. "Come here."

"Uh, ok," Butters said joyously. Maybe a little too joyously. He hide his smile when Kenny sighed, feeling guilty for being so happy.

Butters stopped in front of him, waiting patiently for Kenny's next command. Kenny stared at him and swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," he whispered. A mummer went through the crowd as Kenny spoke and Cartman scowled. "For being an asshole. I shouldn't have treated you that way and I hope you can forgive me." Kenny's eyes were sad and nervous.

Butters was mesmerized. He had never acted this way in front of people when they were together. He never wanted to be seen in public with him, so why was now so different?

Kenny looked away, a blush growing on his cheeks as he took in the staring crowd. "I understand if you don't want to forgive me after what I-"

"N-no," Butters replied quickly.

Kenny turned to him. He was hopeful that Butters would forgive him.

"I know you didn't mean it," Butters said lightly. "I mean. . ." His voice drifted as looked down, rubbing his knuckles together again.

"Bunch of fags," Cartman commented.

"Shut you fucking mouth, Cartman!" Kyle shouted.

"Yeah, dude," Stan agreed angrily. "Let them figure this out."

Cartman mumbled something under his breath about Kyle being a dirty jew and Stan being a blah, blah, blah. It was the same crap he always said. The same old, tired crap, so it hadn't surprised Kenny, of course. But what did surprised him-_amazed_ him even-had been Stan and Kyle. They had never really showed their concern or care for him so strongly before. He had to admit that it made him feel good and not so worthless like he felt at home sometimes.

"It hurt when you said all that stuff," Butters said. "A-and, well. . .I. . ."

Kenny reached out to touch him, but stopped in mid-air when he realized that everyone was watching. His heart hammered in his chest and for a moment his hand shook. Whispers raced like a breeze across the hall as his shackey hand slowly made contact with Butters' face. What was the use of hiding anymore, anyway? Everyone already knew. It wasn't a secret anymore and at that same moment as he realized that, it was as if a veil of morning dew had lifted off eyes and face leaving a clear view of something he could not see before. The liquid that appeared every morning on his front lawn (so it seemed) had been the mist that blinded him from the love that had always been right in front of him.

Butters seemed a bit surprised by this reaction, but he leaned into Kenny's hand none-the-less with a smile on his face. People gasped left and right.

"I do forgive you, Kenny," Butters replied. "Buh. . .but. . ."

"But what?" Kenny asked. He was afraid of what Butters would say next.

"Y-you have to make it up to me," Butters said. "If you know what I mean." A blush grew deep on his cheeks as he looked up at Kenny cautiously.

Kenny smiled and then without warning, he laughed. "You want to act out _Charlie's Angels _again, don't you?"

Butters nodded slowly and Kenny laughed again. "Okay," he agreed with a smile.

Butters smiled in return, his eyes shining brighter than the sun. He lunged at Kenny and said a joyous thank you. Kenny placed his arms around him, trying his best to ignore the staring faces.

"FAGS!" Cartman shouted.

"That's it!" Kyle exploded. He stomped toward Cartman, but before his fist connected with Cartman's fat face, Cartman was down. Kyle turned to see Stan beside him.

"I couldn't take much more of him myself," he said simply as he walked away.

A smile broke across Kyle's face as he watched Stan walk away. He turned to Cartman and made a face before he walked away himself.

"You should've said something," Stan said to Kenny as he approached.

Kenny shrugged as Butters let him go.

"Everyone pretty much expects this kinda thing from you, anyway," Kyle added. "So I don't know what the big surprise is."

"You were just as surprised," Stan accused.

"That's because I didn't think it would be Butters who was. . .you know."

"Gay?" Butters asked.

Kyle nodded, feeling a bit ashamed of himself.

"Well, I-it's alright, Kyle," Butters assured. "I don't blame you. Why, _I _was surprised myself when I saw the video."

Confusion froze over on Kyle's face and Stan's as well, but Stan shook his head and continued to speak. "You know, Kenny," he began, "whether or not you're with a guy or a girl, doesn't matter. Because when it's you. . .it's just. . .you."

Now there was confusion on everyone's face. "What I'm trying to say is that it's normal for you. We see you fucking around with girls and _guys_ in the hall ways. I mean, sure, you haven't had a girlfriend in a while, but that's because you can never keep one. You fool around too much."

There were mumbles of agreement in the crowd and few nodded.

"And there really is no such thing as being gay or straight," Stan continued.

"There isn't?" someone in the crowd asked.

"No," Stan answered, turning to them all.

"Yes, there is!" Cartman protested.

"Shut up, you fat fuck!" Kyle warned.

"But why not?" someone else asked.

"Because when two people are in love, it doesn't matter," Stan replied. "You see, I've learned something today." Stan looked around in the crowd. "Love has no boundaries. It's the only thing that exists that has no real limit. Love restricts no one. It doesn't matter whether a man loves a woman or another man, because when you get down to it, they're still both in love."

People in the audience agreed.

"So why should it matter? If love doesn't care what gender out partner is, why should we?" Now it seemed that everyone was on the same level of understanding and some where really taking to heart Stan's words as they held their partners' hands beside them. "Besides," Stan continued again, "everyone at some time or point in their life goes through some kind of similar experience. Hell, I have. Me and Kyle."

People gasped as they heard Stan confess. Wendy's jaw dropped as soon as she heard it. Kyle was about to say something, but Wendy straightened herself up and raised her hand, stepping forward.

"Me too," she admitted. "With Bebe."

More gasps as the crowd parted to reveal a very surprised Bebe. "It was only a few times," Bebe said shyly.

"That was your _special someone_?" Kyle asked.

Bebe nodded.

"So then, Stan," Kyle said as he turned to him, "your _special someone _was. . ."

"You," Stan said with a smile. "Surprise."

Kyle blushed. "Yeah, well. . .I knew that."

Stan laughed. He then turned to the crowd. "Come on, who else?" he asked looking over at everyone. "I know there's more." No one seemed to want to answer, but then Craig raised his hand.

"Uh, well," he began. People turned to him and he nodded toward Tweek. "Tweek and I have. . .been. . .uh, messing around."

"Gah!" came Tweek's reply as he twitched. "You said you wouldn't tell!"

Craig shrugged with a nervous smile.

"Well, as long as we're all being honest," Gregory began. "I might as well admit myself that I too have ben 'messing around.' "

"Gregory?" Wendy asked as she turned, a little surprised to hear him confessing.

"Yes," he said. "Christophe and I have been seeing one another for a while."

"The mole?" someone asked.

"Yes," Gregory replied. "If he were here, I'm sure he'd deny it, but it's the truth."

"Well, if that's the case," Clyde said. "Me too. With. . .god, I hate myself for this. . .Cartman."

"Cartman!" came the loud shout from everyone in the hall way as they turned to him.

"Hey!" he shouted back. "He's lying."

"It was last month," Clyde confessed. "Cartman thought it'd be fun." Clyde shivered as if the memory had disturbed him and maybe it had.

"No wonder Cartman seemed to talk to you a lot more," Kyle realized.

" 'Aye!" Cartman said as he finally stood up. "I am not gay!"

"Oh, shut up, Cartman," Wendy said. "We all know now. So it doesn't matter and did you not hear Stan's beautiful speech?"

"Thanks, Wendy," Stan said, taking the complement.

"No problem," she said with a shrug.

"You're. . .you're all gay!" Cartman shouted. "Clyde is a liar and you're all gay! You're all gay! I'm the only sane one here!_ I'm the only sane one!_"

"You're the only _in_sane one," Kyle corrected.

The crowd laughed and then the principal and his secretary along with a few guidance counselors approached him. "That's enough," the principal said as he took Cartman's arm and dragged him away.

"You're all fags!" Cartman shouted as they dragged him away. "You're all _fags_!"

"Buh-by the way, Eric!" Butters called. "Thank you! Y-you really did help me in a way!" He waved happily as Cartman screamed.

People talked amongst themselves as the teachers ushered them all back to their own classes, happily talking about the days events.

"So. . ." Kyle began. "You and Butters, huh?"

Kenny nodded with a smile in his eyes.

"Well, then good luck, dude," Stan said as he patted Kenny's arm. "And next time, don't be afraid to talk to me. I'm here for you."

"You sound like a pussy, Stan," Kenny commented with a grin.

"You are what you eat, right?" Stan replied. "That would make you a dick, then."

"You too, I guess," Kenny said as he nodded toward Kyle. "Seeing as you and Kyle over there are kicking boots every night."

"HEY!" Kyle shouted. "Not every night."

Kenny laughed and for the first time all day he felt relieved. Truly relieved and happy.

"W-well, I guess I'm a dick too, then," Butters said shyly.

Kenny laughed. "If you want to be," he said with a nod.

"Let's go, boys," came their teacher's voice from behind them.

They walked, the four of them, back to class as if nothing had happened. Everything seemed to be back to normal, though, they all knew it would never be normal. They did live in South Park after all. It was never normal.

**The End**

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Wee! Wasn't that nice? Now Kenny and Butters will forever live happily together and Stan and Kyle too. Cartman will end up in a mental institution where he belongs (LMAO), while his mother is free to live out her slut tendencies all over South Park. . . .again! Just kidding! LOL! Bebe and Wendy's future is. . . unsure. Lol! Kidding again! Speaking of Wendy and Bebe. . .**Falisha**! You figured me out! I can never surprise you anymore! Damn! Lol! You mentioned it in one of your reviews and I was so disappointed cuz it was suppose to be a surprise for **_everyone_**! Anyway, lol, I hope you all enjoyed reading this fic as much as I loved writing it. Please leave behind a comment, it'd be much appreciated. Thank you!

Jess a.k.a. RedGem270

I love you guys!


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